Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2017
292. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of a speed limit review undertaken in 2016 allowing local authorities to request speed limit changes on local and regional roads in their own areas with particular regard to County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23836/17]
View answerAt the time of the issuing of the Department's updated Guidelines for Setting and Managing Speed Limits in Ireland in March 2015, which is available on the Department's website at www.dttas.ie, local authorities were requested to review and update all speed limits in their administrative areas in accordance with the Guidelines. In the case of national roads this review was to be undertaken in conjunction with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The Guidelines reiterate that the making of Special Speed Limit bye-laws is a matter for the elected members of local authorities, subject to following Departmental Guidelines and to the consent of TII in the case of national roads.
It should be noted that as part of the review of speed limits on national roads, TII has assessed the widths of all national roads and is currently engaged in the process of providing this information to local authorities. This will assist local authorities in the task of identifying the appropriate speed limits for different sections of national roads within their respective administrative areas in accordance with the Department's Guidelines.
Local authorities have been requested to complete the overall speed limit review exercise, including the implementing of bye-laws where necessary, by Quarter 2 of 2017.
My Department will review the progress of local authorities on the speed limit review, including Kildare County Council, after the end of June 2017.
